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August 03, 2005

Voodoo starts a blog

Just got a tip that Voodoo is blogging. Good to see them enter the fray but I can't resist a few comments.

First, I really don't think it's a good move for a corporate blog by a known supplier to have a link to DrunkCyclist.com. I'm a Big Jonny fan just like everyone else and I've actually gotten to know him better recently through a series of emails. His site is full of good info and interesting links. That being said, I just don't think it's a good idea to link directly to a site that is full of pornography. Call me a prude, but doesn't seem to make good business sense.

[Jonny, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from. Feel free to call me out if necessary].

And second, I really hope they plan on including some outbound links. Outbound links are absolutely key to the whole blogging idea. They give your visitors more information, they help you connect with other bloggers and sites (because they'll see the referrals from your site in their visitor stats), and most importantly, Google really likes them (detailed explanation here) and will index your blog much higher.

I agree with the hesitancy to link to the Drunk Cyclist and his wonderful links....

I sent a message to the manager of City Bikes... he did not bite on the notion that he and his crew should blog... oh well... not everyone gets the BLOG

as far as Pros and Blogs

in the mountainbike world there are a mess of them
Todd Wells
Marla Streb
Jerimiah Bishop
the list goes on....
I may compile a list and put it on my blog
in the road world
recently I saw an amusing BLOG from Dave Zavbriskiehttp://www.davezabriskie.com/pages/1/index.htm

I don’t take it the wrong way. Once you go down the porn affiliate webmaster roadway, you close a lot of doors. Of course, you open others, so be it.
I wonder what John, the “Rogue Mechanic”: from Ohio, will say when he notices that the DC logo is on the back pocket of the 2006 Voodoo jersey? Or that the DC/Voodoo cross team is storming the front range of Colorado for the second year?http://www.voodoocycles.net/images/cx_team/index.htm
Did I mention we won the Colorado State Cross Series last year?

As far as business sense, that pretty much all depends on what demographic you're trying to reach, doesn't it? If you can move your product my advertising in Playboy over Newsweek, so be it.

And I can’t really sign off without mentioning that Mr. Rogue links Starbucks off his homepage, under the heading “good stuff.” I think that speaks volumes.

I can't see the correlation between a coffee company and porn... (I welcome your explanation...) Maybe I'm missing something. I mean that this is not rocket science. To answer your question about what I would say about the DC logo on the 06 jersey...I think that it's not a smart business decision. I agree that it does depend on your target demographic. I can say that your demographic in definitely not my demographic. Again, I welcome your comments.

I don't think the religious right (wrong?) type are exactly gonna jump onto a site for "VooDoo" bikes. I seem to remember that years ago a certain Hi-Torque publication wouldn't run VooDoo's ads b/c of the publisher's religious views. Not like they are a vanilla brand with a name like VooDoo to begin with! If Specialized, Trek, Cannondale did it I would possibly question the judgement but, a brand that's falling left of center and wanting to be unique and quirky and give props to their friends? What's the harm.

Todd:
Thanks for your input. You're right, Hi-Torque definitely has had to censor some ads. Not sure if it was because of their religious views or just because they have a pretty traditional, conservative, mom-and-pop readership on some of their titles. I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. They can do whatever they want with their ads.

And I agree with you that it all comes down to the brand Voodoo is trying to build. Good point.

Hi Jon....You must know who I am if you read Jonnies site....Who cares what you think...What is youre claim to fame?...How many "smart Businesses have you run?...I understand you have youre opinion...We all do..But do you have a corp. building bikes...No...If you dont see the Reasons why VooDoo linked DC..Then you have never been able to do what you want!!! Sound like the VooDoo Guys Have it right on...America is about doing what you want..No about pussies who run website telling people what they should do.... live a little...You only live once..And that its buddie..So Drink youre starbuck, Follow the cattle you hang with and Deal with what people do with THEIR Deal.....NTD

Nik, I think you missed the point of what Jonathan was trying to say. He wasn't attempting to tell anybody how to run their business, merely expressing an opinion from the perspective of somebody who specializes in brand building and image awareness. That's all. From what I know of Jonathan, I would suggest he's happy to see that VooDoo is blogging and would be bummed to see them stop. But that is just my opinion... and I think we can all agree that "opinions are like a**holes and everybody has one".

I think in Nik's "excitement", he not only forgot typical spelling and grammar conventions, but also the point that Big Jonny was making. (You know, that same point that some "rogue" doesn't seem to get either.)
That point, I believe, is that you don't have to be a prude to see that Starbucks is a corporate a@@-f*ck, and many intelligent, successful, family minded people enjoy pornorgaphy. It's totally cool that Rogue wants to "stay with the flock" and not make porn and quality coffee(in beans and politics) a part of his life. I apperciate that he took the time to teach some runny nosed neighbor kid to fix a flat instead of fixing it for him (see Rogue Mechanic for more details) That's how I learned too!
So, Mr. Rogue (and you too Jonathan), my bone to pick remains thus: Just because you don't enjoy "the finer things in life" like hometown roasted coffee and pictures of the human body, don't go laying your judgement down like it was your fuc*in job or something. I'm only accountable to one being, and I sleep each night with a peaceful soul. Namaste!